First time kegging -- need instant gratification

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FSBrewer

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I just racked my IPA to my first ever keg. It's probably at around 75 degrees I would guess. I didn't add priming sugar, just want to artificially carbonate this time. I initially put 15 psi on it. Is there any way to get *just some* carbonation within a few hours? Beer time is in about 6 hours. First time kegging so I'm a bit afraid to crank the pressure up too high.
 
Crank it up to 30 psi. Take the keg and put it on it's side on a folded towel or something to pad it from the floor and shake the crap out of it. I have heard that you can do this and start drinking it the same day, it has never worked for me but I have only tried that twice. 30 PSI for 2-3 days has worked for me though.

Otherwise it will take about a week at 15 psi.
 
I have used the shake and crank method before with mixed results. If the beer is cold, yes crank it to 30 and do some rolling until you hear the CO2 stop going in. Then let settle for at least a few hours. Purge and serve at serving pressure.
 
Yes you can force carb by putting the pressure at 30 psi and shaking for a couple minutes. The problem is you will have warm foamy beer. I highly advise waiting a bit longer, carb at 30 psi for 36, the beer will be cold and carbed. Quick carbing in 6 hours will not give you the best results....but go ahead and try if you are that anxious...
 
I have used the shake and crank method before with mixed results. If the beer is cold, yes crank it to 30 and do some rolling until you hear the CO2 stop going in. Then let settle for at least a few hours. Purge and serve at serving pressure.

Pardon my newness to this but what should I purge? Let the pressure down to serving pressure?
 
I just racked my IPA to my first ever keg. It's probably at around 75 degrees I would guess. I didn't add priming sugar, just want to artificially carbonate this time. I initially put 15 psi on it. Is there any way to get *just some* carbonation within a few hours? Beer time is in about 6 hours. First time kegging so I'm a bit afraid to crank the pressure up too high.

since it at 75F now, you probably won't be able to carb it properly in 6 hours.
Beer has to be cold to adsorb CO2 efficiently, at 75F you need to more than double the pressure to get the same effect. So even at 30psi shaking the keg you probably won't get much carbonation.

I would try to practice some Zen patience. Put it on 30 psi once cold for 24 hours, then reduce to serving pressure, 10-12 psi at 40F or so. Should be ready in another day or 2 but will get better in 3-5 days.

You could also "set it and forget it" - set to serving pressure and leave it for 5-7 days.

The problem with shaking the keg is many-fold, in my opinion. You are shaking up whatever sediment you got settled at the bottom, and also foaming up the beer for no reason. It's also not very controllable so you could easily end up with over-carbed beer (probably not likely in your case but generally).
 
We do this often force carbing and it works great but you do want cold beer and if would recommend doing a real good job filtering beer before doing this.
We filter out beer after secondary rack to nearly eliminate everything before kegging and then you don't get cloudy beer from shaking.
 
This cracks me up...You have a 75 deg flat beer.If someone offered you that beer would you drink it. Wait a whopping one day to get cold and 2 to get carbed if force carbing. Or just pour a piss warm flat beer to get an idea of what it will taste like
 
I agree with you Jonny, or shake the crap out of it at 30 psi and get a piss warm cup of foam.

Minimum 2-3 days and the beer is almost always better at a week IME...
 
I keg, and set to serving pressure while chilling. I can have drinkable beer in 3-4 days using this. I have force carbed as well (chilled and shaking) and I highly recommend the first method. You will be much happier I think.
 
If it's beer time in 6 hours, here's what you do:

Option 1

1. Set regulator to 15#
2. Place keg in frige
3. Go to the store, purchase a 5er of a similar beer.
4. Get a razor blade and scrape the labels off the bottles
5. Chill the 6er, tell your friends you pulled a 6er off to sample before putting the keg up to condition, and it will "only get better"

OR: option 2:

1. shake the crap out of your beer
2. Pour warm, flat, foamy beer to your friends
3. tell them the beer will only get better.

Option 1, your friends will come back asking for more free beer. Option 2, you'll never see them again.

I'm kinda liking option 2, now that I think about it. :D
 
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